To think that if you choose to be a Spy, that someone trying to bump you off, goes with the territory?

[ConfusedWomanInHerForties]

Just that really! Fed up of hearing about it now.

[Ifailed]

I see, if you upset your government it's OK for them to murder you?

[Efferlunt]

Sorry geopolitics is boring you.

[VaguelyAware]

Yes he definitely should have expected it. And his daughter. And that policeman who was first on the scene.

[ItsBeenAHellofaDay]

I kind of agree with you OP? that being a spy comes with risks - although most are well protected by their government

However, I completely disagree and hate the thought hat someone (Russia? - but I think Corbin is right that we should just wait a second and gather all evidence before jumping to conclusions) has manufactured nerve agent against international law, and managed to smuggle it into UK.

[ikeepaforkinmypurse]

I heard that about soldiers and even about policemen. You can't argue with stupid, so I won't bother.

[Batmanwearspants]

Ok what about his daughter, or the first responder or all the other people in the restaurant where this is supposedly have taken place. Should they have been subjected to this?

[Squeegle]

The fact is that a) it’s not ok to miser someone and b) it is outrageous to do it on foreign territory using a nerve agent that hurts other people. It is such big news because it shows that foreign powers could come and do this to any of us if they chose. And that is scary. The Russians could wipe out a city if they chose. So don’t be so ignorant .

[EenaMinaMoe]

International law disagrees.

[reallybadidea]

So bored you started a thread about it.

Anyway it's not just about what happened to those poor people (one of whom was in the service of our country and the other presumably completely innocent) but also the wider geopolitical implications. Innit.

[SparklyLeprechaun]

Sure, it is a dangerous job and I'm sure he knew the risks. His daughter wasn't a spy, though, nor was the police officer who attended the scene. And murder is murder regardless of reasons.

[shesakeeper]

I heard on a political podcast that pretty much everybody that was exposed to that substance in that restaurant will die within the next five years. This was from an expert on chemical attacks.

I sincerely hope they are wrong.

[Notapushymum1]

Do you seriously think that if Russian government wanted to kill a spy they will fly a nerve agent to UK and risk being cought etc? They could easily stage a heart attack or a car accident, etc etc. There is obviously a reason why he was killed so publicly, somebody is working hard to sabotage Russian/UK relationship or divert our attention from "real news".

[SluttyButty]

You’re fed up? Well you could just not listen too or watch the news. Most of us however are not fed up because it’s actually a very concerning matter.

[StripySocksAndDocs]

How does it going with the territory mean it shouldn't be reported on the news?

There's lots of things that 'go with the territory', doesnt mean it's not newsworthy. Nor that it's acceptable. What if a spy got annoyed by your post and turned up on your doorstep. Whilst (extremely!) unlikely, (better things to do), you knowing annoyed someone armed with the skills of finding people.

[Buster72]

How do you stage a heart attack?

[ikeepaforkinmypurse]

In my list of "well they are paid for that", I forgot firemen. Dying comes in the territory too when you jump into a fire to try to save people, so what's the fuss all about...

[StripySocksAndDocs]

Why you want to know Buster72?

[Buster72]

Just amazed that people can't accept that a megalomaniac foreign leader from a country with previous form for using poison could assassinate an enemy on foreign soil.
This has not been done to divert attention or ruin relations

[lljkk]

Skripal & another spy (worked for the British) came to Britain after Britain handed over to Russia a larger number of people (6?) who had been spying for the Russians. About 12 years ago.

Would it be okay for the British to now go track down some of those former spies-for-Russia & bump them off, Total tit for tat?

I find it very easy to believe that the Russian govt wanted this to be a huge public incident. That said, there's a theory that the nerve agent was supposed to look like a heart attack & kill almost instantly. It failed for whatever reason, plus the Brits have a way to detect it that Russian didn't know about, so now the Russians are blustering like mad. This sequence of events is very plausible, too.

[DontDrinkDontSmoke]

There’s something not quite right about UK Tory Gov’s response. I believe they are being worked from the back by wealthy Russians who invest their money in London.

[Lifeisabeach09]

Personally, I don't give a shit that some spy was murdered on British soil. However, the method of weapon is the only thing I'm wary about but not particularly shocked.
I definitely don't think morons like Johnson should be coming out and accusing Putin without evidence.
And, I agree with PP, that this incident is being used to take the attention away from other issues...Brexit, government bailouts of companies, as examples.
What a great way for the government to get public support for funding of, say, a new chemical warfare centre or other militaristic issues. Or, indeed, to get European co-operation on international security issues...

[Dungeondragon15]

There is obviously a reason why he was killed so publicly, somebody is working hard to sabotage Russian/UK relationship or divert our attention from "real news".

Yes, there is obviously a reason to kill publically and that would be to warn to other Russians that if you work against Putin you and your children will be killed and there is no where to hide. They want everyone to very strongly suspect it was them without being able to prove it so they can deny but warn at the same time. I'm amazed that so many people don't get the motive. This is hardly the first time it has happened!!

[ErniesGhostlyGoldtops]

I am shocked that accusations are made by our Prime Minister when the police are still in the dark about how the attack happened. It makes us look like a bunch of hysterical idiots.
Unless we can say categorically what, where, how, who, we should button it until we do.

[Dungeondragon15]

As for those who don't care about the spy, what about the policeman who is now very ill? Potentially they could have killed a lot more first responders and civilians. Why are you not more bothered about the fact that the Russians are using chemical weapan' to kill people?

[falsepriest]

Ah, ConfusedWomanInHerForties, I've been expecting you. You know, we're not too dissimilar, you and I. -strokes persian cat-